Toy building set



March 15, 1938. J. B. FORBES 2,110,990

TOY BUILDING SET Filed Dec. 10, 1937 Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES ATENT OFHCE 2,110,990 TOY BUILDING SET tion of Illinois Application December 10, 1937, Serial No. 179,086

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in toy building sets, and more particularly to building sets made up of several groups of interfitting structural members from which various types of gable-ended houses or similar structures may be erected.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement or combination of structural elements for constructing the gabled ends of structures having a peaked roof, andineluding triangular sections at each end thereof which define the roof line and support the roof members. Among the advantages of a building set made in accordance with my invention is its adaptability to produce a preferred gable-ended structure including relatively wide eave extensions, and which structure has greater stability than heretofore provided with building sets of this general character.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a partially erected building showing the roof construction.

Fig. 2 is a detail View in end elevation showing the assembly of the gable piece, the top ledge block, the wall blocks and the roof planks.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged exploded detail View in perspective showing the relative arrangement of the gable piece, top ledge block and the associated end and side wall blocks.

Toy building sets of the general type illustrated herein have long been in use, as for instance in the so-called log cabin style of construction, and for the purpose of this disclosure it will not be necessary to describe each type and kind of member making up a building set, or the various styles of structures that can be erected therewith.

The basis of such building sets is a number of generally similar straight timber pieces or blocks, either oblong or circular in section, each having near opposite ends notches facing in opposite directions, whereby end and side walls of a structure may be erected by interlocking one series of blocks with another series of blocks at their notched ends, much in the same manner that primitive log cabin walls were erected. A gableend roof structure has also been employed, in which triangular gable pieces have been interfitted with the wall members at opposite ends of the structure, as for instance described in my Patent No. 2,012,160 issued August 20, 1935. The

roof planks span these gable pieces to complete the roof and structure. The lowermost roof planks are supported at opposite sides of the structure, since otherwise they would have no anchorage on the sloping edges of the end gables.

Referring now to details of the improved roof construction shown in the drawing and embodying the subject matter of the present invention, triangular gable end pieces 3 are substantially of the same thickness as the front and side wall blocks I and 2, each of said gable end pieces having notches 3 at opposite lower corners so as to rest on an upper ledge block t at opposite ends of the structure, with said end notches 3 interfitting with the notches 2 of the upper side wall blocks 2. In the form shown, the gable piece 3, because of its notched portions 3 is slightly shorter than the end wall blocks l.

The ledge block 4 preferably corresponds in form and size to the end wall blocks I, and includes notches i l in registering relation with notches l l of said wall blocks, so as to interlock with similar side: wall blocks 2, as shown. In addition, said ledge block is provided with integral extensions 5, 5 at opposite ends thereof, provided with intermediate notches 6, 8 disposed beyond the ends of the wall blocks I.

The roof is completed by a plurality of long fiat pieces 1 having somewhat the proportion of planks laid edge to edge lengthwise of the roof and supported at their ends on the sloping edges of the gable pieces 3. The lowermost roof planks are held in place by engagement of their bottom edges in the notches 6, 6 at the outer ends of the ledge block 4, thereby providing a firm anchorage for the roof structure, and with the lowermost roof plank 'l forming overhanging eaves at opposite sides of the structure.

In this manner it is possible to erect buildings with pointed gables, sloping roofs and extended eaves with a minimum number of pieces and without additional parts or fastening members for anchoring the roof planks in place.

The resulting gable end structure is more stable than is the case with previous structures of the same general type. All of the pieces, with the exception of the roof planks, may be made of uniform thickness so as to be interchangeably fitted with each other, not only in gable end structures, but in the erection of other structures such as bridges and the like. In the novel form of gable end structure herein disclosed, it will be noted that the roof planks rest closely against the upper corners of the topmost side wall pieces 2 so as to produce an especially attractive building design, with the side walls fully closed up to the spreading eaves.

While I have shown and described one parposite sides thereof so as to be interfitted with each other in crossed position, triangular gable pieces adapted to be supported in upright position at each end of the erected walls of the building to define the shape of the roof, each of said gable pieces having notches at opposite ends of its base adapted for interfitting engagement with the transverse notches of timber pieces arranged at right angles to said gable piece, ledge pieces similar to said notched timber pieces, but in addition provided with integral extensions at opposite ends thereof, each including other transverse notches disposed beyond the first named pairs of transverse notches, and a plurality of plank members adapted to be supported on the sloping edges of said gable pieces, with the lowermost plank members engaged in the notches formed in the aforesaid integral extensions of said ledge pieces, to form projecting eaves at opposite sides of the structure.

2. In a toy building set, the combination with a plurality of timber pieces having pairs of transverse notches cut at each end and. facing on opposite sides thereof so as to be inter-fitted with each other in crossed position, triangular gab-1e pieces adapted to be supported in upright position at each end of the erected walls of the building to define the shape of the roof, each of said gable pieces having notches at opposite ends of its base adapted for interfitting engagement with the transverse notches of timber pieces arranged at right angles to said gable pieces. ledge pieces similar to said notched timber pieces, but in addition provided with integral extensions at opposite ends thereof, each including other transverse notches disposed beyond the first named pairs of transverse notches, and a plurality of plank members adapted to be supported on the sloping edges of said gable pieces, with the lowermost plank members engaged in the notches 'formed in the aforesaid integral extensions of said ledge pieces, to form projecting eaves at opposite sides of the structure, the arrangement being such thatthe lowermost roof planks substantially meet the outermost corners of the upper timber pieces at opposite sides of the building.

3. In a toy building set, the combination with a. plurality of timber pieces having pairs of transverse notches cut at each end and. facing on opposite sides thereof so as to be interfitted With each other in crossed position, triangular gable pieces adapted to be supported in upright position at each end of the erected walls of the building to define the shape of the roof, each of said gable pieces having notches at opposite ends of its base adapted for interfitting engagement with the transverse notches of timber pieces arranged at right angles to said gable piece, ledge pieces similar to said timber pieces, but provided with two adjacent pairs of transverse notches cut at each end thereof, the two inner most pairs of notches being disposed in registering relation with the transverse notches formed in the said first named timber pieces, and the outermost pairs of notches being disposed beyond the ends of said first named timber pieces, and a plurality of plank members adapted to be supported on the sloping edges of said gable pieces with the lowermost plank members engaged in the outermost notches in the aforesaid ledge pieces to form projecting eaves at opposite sides of the structure.

JAMES B. FORBES. 

